Surgical instrument

ABSTRACT

In a surgical instrument having at least one jaw part (6, 7) which is turnable around a pin (11), the jaw part (6, 7) is connected via a receiver (8, 9) with the pin (11), and the jaw part (6, 7) is detachably fastened with respect to the receiver (8, 9).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a surgical instrument having at leastone jaw part which is rotatable around an axis.

Such surgical instruments are known and available on the market in manyforms and embodiments. The corresponding jaw parts can serve forcutting, clamping, twisting-off, shearing, or the like. As a rule, theyserve for performing given surgical interventions in man or animal.These instruments and their development have increased considerably inimportance, as a result in particular of endoscopy.

As example, reference is had here to a surgical instrument in accordancewith P 43 32 497.5.

In all of these instruments, the jaw parts are connected by acorresponding pull or push element with actuating members, for instancescissor arms. Upon actuation of the scissor arms, the jaw parts areopened and closed. In this connection, either both jaw parts can bemovable or one jaw part can be stationary and the other jaw part moved.As soon as the jaw parts are worn out, the instrument is thrown away.

There are also available on the market disposable instruments which areintended only for one operation and are then discarded. These disposableinstruments are supplied in sterile packings, so that the disposing ofthe packing and of the instrument itself represents a considerableexpense and is very problematic based on environmental considerations.

The object of the present invention is to provide a surgical instrumentwhich can be repeatedly reused and in which wear of the jaw parts doesnot constitute a problem. Furthermore, the possibility of sterilizingthe instrument is to be facilitated.

In order to achieve this object, the jaw part is connected via areceiver to the pin and the jaw part is detachably fastened with respectto the receiver.

The basic concept of the present invention is that, particularly whenworn, the jaw part can be detached from the receiver and be replaced bya new jaw part. In this way, the rest of the surgical instrument isfully retained and can be sterilized and repeatedly reused. Since thejaw part constitutes only an extremely slight portion of the manufacturework and cost of the surgical instrument, the present invention resultsin a substantial reduction of the cost, particularly in hospitals.

As jaw part, a large number of embodiments can enter into consideration.It need merely be seen to it that the action of the jaw parts does notconflict with their detachable connection. In other words, the jaw partshould not carry out any activity in which a strong pull is exerted onthe jaw parts. In particular, there enters into consideration adevelopment of the jaw parts as scissor blades, as well as jaw partswhich are used today in biopsy forceps.

The rest of the instrument is preferably so designed that it can easilybe sterilized. For this, a surgical instrument in accordance with P 4332 497.5 offers itself.

After detachment from the receiver, the jaw parts can either be thrownaway and replaced by new ones, or they can be sterilized and/orreworked. A dull scissor blade can, for instance, be ground fresh andused again. Thus, the invention contributes considerably to reducingwaste, in which connection, furthermore, only a slight amount of packingis necessary for the surgical instrument and the jaw parts. Of course,it is also possible to use on the same instrument different jaw partswith which different activities can be carried out.

In a preferred embodiment, the jaw part has an extension with a guideslot which cooperates with a guide arm on a support plate of thereceiver. This guide arm effects a targeted fastening of the jaw part tothe receiver or a corresponding detent element. Therefore, there shouldalso be provided on the receiver, in addition, a shoulder against whichthe jaw part strikes for the limiting of its motion.

For the fastening by detent of the jaw part with respect to thereceiver, it is preferred to provide in the region of the guide slot adetent hole which cooperates with a detent element. This detent elementcan be provided separately on the receiver, as a result of which, to besure, the total length of the jaw is increased by about 3 mm. Since thisis not always desirable, it is possible to use the above-mentioned pinalso as detent element. In other words, the jaw part, guided by theguide arm in the guide slot, is pushed so far along the receiver thatthe guide slot strikes against the pin. By briefly pressing on the jawpart, the pin then slides into the detent hole, the guide slot openingsomewhat for a short time.

The receiver itself then has, on the other side of a hole for the pin, anose extension which is articulated via a spread lever to a pull or pushelement. This pull or push element effects the rotation of the receiver,and thus of the jaw part, around the pin.

In another embodiment, an elastic element which in position of useengages behind at least one undercut, an edge, or the like in or on thereceiver is arranged on the jaw part and/or the receiver.

This engagement by the elastic element means that a loosening of the jawpart from the receiver can only take place when the elastic element hasbeen deflected in such a manner that it no longer engages behind theundercut, regardless of the nature thereof. This also means, however,that some expedient must be provided in order to effect a deflection ofthe elastic element. In this way, the reliability of the fastening ofthe jaw part on the receiver is assured and, in particular, the operatorneed no longer fear that a jaw part will become detached from thereceiver during an operation in the human body and that can be removedfrom the body again only with great difficulty, for instance in the caseof endoscopic interventions.

For the reliable detachable fastening of the jaw part on the receiver,there are many possibilities. In this connection, it is immaterialwhether the elastic element be present on the jaw part or on thereceiver. The inventive concept always covers in all cases also thereverse arrangement. The following description of two embodiments istherefore merely illustrative.

In the first embodiment, the jaw part has an extension with which thereis associated an elastic tongue having a detent nose. From a purelymanufacturing standpoint, this tongue can be suitably produced bystamping. In this connection, a suitable tongue can remain in a guideslit or else in a C-shaped slot.

It is essential that the detent nose engage behind an undercut and atthe same time become free from this undercut by deflection of thetongue. In order to facilitate this, the elastic tongue should have atapered region which facilitates the deflection.

As undercut, there can be used any projection or, in particular, alsoslot in the receiver, into which the detent nose snaps. In this case, itis desirable that, upon the insertion of the jaw part into the receiver,the jaw part be guided so that the detent nose also reaches thecorresponding undercut. For this purpose, corresponding guide arms onthe receiver serve, they cooperating, for instance, with guide slots.However, the same purpose is served also by a simple trough-shapeddevelopment which is formed at the end on the jaw part or acorresponding extension on the jaw part. This development seeks acongruent projection on the receiver.

In another embodiment of the invention, the elastic element consistsessentially of a detent strip which snaps behind an edge of the guidearm on the receiver. The guide arm preferably also has grooves on bothsides into which arms which extend into the opening of a step-wiserecess are guided. In this connection, on the one hand, the object issatisfied that the jaw part is guided upon the connecting with thereceiver while, on the other hand, the advantage is also obtained thatthe jaw part cannot be loosened from the receiver even if it is bent-offlaterally from the receiver. The arms in the grooves prevent the lateralbreaking-out of the jaw part, so that a placing of this jaw part on areceiver from the outside is also possible.

Particular attention is to be paid to the fact that the detachablefastening of the jaw part is effected in such a manner that the jaw partdoes not unintentionally loosen from the rest of the surgicalinstrument, for instance in the body of a patient. In other words,detent hole and pin must be so adapted to each other that while thepushing-on of the jaw part is possible, nevertheless a pulling-off ofthe jaw part can take place only under difficult conditions. Therefore,in a preferred embodiment of the invention, a mounting adapter isprovided which permits better access to and better handling of the jawparts. The jaw parts are so arranged in the mounting adapter that theycannot be shifted. At the same time, however, there is an opening in themounting adapter into which the front part of the surgical instrumentwithout the jaw parts can be introduced. Since in this case, themounting adapter permits a greater pressure upon the clipping of the jawparts onto the pin, the diameter of the detent hole can, for instance,be made somewhat smaller or else the thickness of the extension havingthe detent hole can be increased. This is so adapted that thepulling-off of the jaw parts with only two fingers is no longerpossible.

Of course, many possibilities which lie within the scope of the presentinvention are conceivable for a mounting adapter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further advantages, features, and details of the invention will becomeevident from the following description of preferred embodiments and fromthe drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a front part of a surgical instrument;

FIG. 2 is a top view on the front part of the surgical instrument ofFIG. 1, turned 90°;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section through the front part of the surgicalinstrument of FIG. 2, along the line III--III;

FIG. 4 is a side view of a scissor blade in accordance with theinvention;

FIG. 5 is a side view of a scissor-blade receiver in accordance with theinvention;

FIG. 6 is a top view of the scissor blade of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a top view of the scissor-blade receiver of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal section through a mounting adapter inaccordance with the invention, with scissor blades inserted, and of afront part of the surgical instrument;

FIG. 9 is a side view of another embodiment of a jaw part in accordancewith the invention;

FIG. 10 is a top view of the jaw part of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a side view of a receiver in accordance with the inventionfor the jaw part of FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a top view of the receiver of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a side view of the receiver of FIG. 11 in accordance with theinvention, with jaw part in accordance with FIG. 9 engaged;

FIG. 14 is a top view of two jaw parts in position of use engaged in thecorresponding receivers;

FIG. 15 is a side view of another embodiment of a jaw part in accordancewith the invention;

FIG. 16 is a top view of the jaw part of FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a side view of another embodiment of a jaw part in accordancewith the invention;

FIG. 18 is a top view of the receiver according to FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is a side view of another embodiment of a jaw part in accordancewith the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows, for a surgical instrument in accordance with theinvention, a front part of an outer tube 1 in which a connecting rod 2(see FIG. 3) slides. Adjoining the outer tube 1 is a holder 3 which, asshown in FIG. 2, forms a fork with two fork arms 4 and 5, between whichthe two jaw parts 6 and 7 are inserted. In the present embodiment, bothjaw parts 6 and 7 are developed as scissor blades.

For the connecting of the jaw parts 6 and 7 to the holder 3, and for theturnable mounting, there are provided two receivers 8 and 9 which areconnected to each other and to the fork arms 4 and 5 via a locking screw10. Adjoining the locking screw 10 there is a detent pin 13, shown inFIG. 2, around which the receivers 8 and 9 and the jaw parts 6 and 7 areturnably arranged.

The turnability of the receivers 8 and 9 around the detent pin 11 iseffected by a movement of the connecting rod 2 in the direction x, inwhich connection the connecting rod 2 is connected with the receivers 8and 9 via spreading levers, of which only one spreading lever 12 isshown in FIG. 1. These spreading levers 12, on the one hand, form apivot pin 13 with the connecting rod 2 and, on the other hand, a pivotjoint 14 with the receivers 9 and 8 respectively. Since the spreadinglevers 12 are arranged towards the outside, the receivers 8 and 9 areturned around the detent pin 11 upon a movement of the connecting rod 2in the direction x, as a result of which an opening and closing of thejaw parts 6 and 7 takes place. A similar arrangement is described in P43 32 497.

Each jaw part 6 and 7 has, in accordance with FIGS. 4 and 6, aplate-shaped extension 15, in which a guide slot 16 is formed. Near anend surface 17, a detent hole 18 is arranged in the region of the guideslot 16.

Each receiver 8 and 9 has a support plate 19 and, arranged thereon via ashoulder 20, a nose extension 21 which has a hole 22 to receive theswivel joint 14.

On the support plate 19, there is placed a guide arm 23 which, upon theplacing together of jaw parts 6/7 and receivers 8/9, slides into theguide slot 16. In this way, the jaw part 6/7 is guided in directiontowards a detent hole 24 which, in the position of use, is passedthrough by the detent pin 11. By pressure on the jaw part 6 or 7, thedetent pin 11 snaps into the detent hole 18 in the region of the guideslot 16, whereby the jaw parts 6/7 are detachably connected to thereceiver 8/9.

Jaw parts 6 and 7 are preferably located in a mounting adapter 25 whichis preferably so developed that the jaw parts 6 and 7 rest snugly in arecess 26 of a housing 27. The housing 27 is preferably provided on itsouter surface with a fluting 28, so that a better transmission of forceis effected upon the pushing of the mounting adapter 25 on the tworeceivers 8 and 9. In this connection, the diameter of the detent hole18 is reduced to such an extent as compared with the diameter of thedetent pin 11 that a pushing-on by means of the mounting adapter 25 ispossible, but a pulling-off of the jaw parts 6/7 from the receivers 8/9by means of only the fingers of the operator or some other person is notpossible.

For the better fixing of the jaw parts 6/7 and the handling thereof uponthe pushing onto the receivers 8 and 9, holes 29 are furthermoreprovided in the jaw parts 6/7, through which holes pins, for instance,can be inserted for locking the jaw parts 6/7 in the mounting adapter25.

For the receiving of the receivers 8/9, the mounting adapter 25furthermore has a guide channel 30 which leads the receivers 8 and 9 tothe jaw parts 6 and 7.

In a further embodiment, shown in FIG. 9, a jaw part 6.1 has anextension 15.1, two strips 31 and 32 forming a guide slot 16.1. Withinthis guide slot 16.1, there is arranged an elastic tongue 33 which has adetent nose 34. Furthermore, a neck 35 of the tongue 33 is tapered, sothat a deflecting of the tongue 33 out of a position of rest, describedlater, is facilitated.

Towards its end, engagement projections 36 and 37 are formed on eachstrip 31, 32, said projections engaging, in position of use, incorresponding troughs 38 and 39 of a receiver 8.1 (see FIG. 11). Thereceiver 8.1 has a wider nose extension 21.1 into which, on the onehand, a hole 22 is developed to receive a joint part (not further shown)and, on the other hand, a hole 24.1 to receive a pin.

Adjoining the nose extension 21, there is a support plate 19.1 which is,in part, extended over still by a guide arm 23.1 which extends from thenose extension 21.1. This guide arm 23.1 terminates in front of ahammerhead-shaped transverse slot 40, adjoining which there is alongitudinal slot 41 which, in its turn, separates the support 19 intotwo support strips 42 and 43.

Upon the insertion of the jaw parts 6.1 and 7.1 into the correspondingreceivers 8.1 and 9.1, the extensions 15.1 slide along the support plate19.1, the elastic tongues 33.1 and 33.2 of the two jaw parts 6.1 and 7.1respectively being deflected outward with respect to each other. This ismade possible in the manner that the tongues 33.1 and 33.2 are cut inwedge shape so that they leave a wedge-shaped free space 44 open betweenthem. Upon the snapping into the transverse slot 40, the detent noses 34engage behind corresponding undercuts 45 which are formed by thetransverse slot 40 upon the transition into the longitudinal slot 41.

This arrangement assures also the possibility of a simple loosening ofthe jaw parts 6.1 and 7.1 from the corresponding receivers 8.1 and 9.1.It is merely necessary to introduce a corresponding tool into thelongitudinal slot 41 or transverse slot 40 which deflects the elastictongues 33.1 and 33.2 apart from each other, as a result of which thedetent noses come loose from the undercuts 45.

The embodiment of a structural part shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 is similarto that shown in FIGS. 9-14. To be sure, in this case, an extension 15.3does not have a continuous guide slot, but the elastic tongue 33 isformed from the extension 15.3 by means of a C-shaped slot 53.

Furthermore, the extension 15.3 has on its end a trough-shapeddevelopment 54 which cooperates with a corresponding engagementprojection (not shown in detail) of a correspondingly shaped receiver.

A receiver 8.2 in accordance with FIGS. 15 and 16 also has a supportplate 19.2 which is developed on a nose extension 21.2. On this supportplate 19.2 there is a guide arm 23.2 the rear edge 46 of which is atdistance a from the nose extension 21.2. From this edge 46, a risingsurface 47 rises, it then terminating in a block-like extension 48. Inthis block-like extension 48 there are developed, from the front,adjoining the support plate 19.2, two grooves 49.1 and 49.2 into which,in position of use, arms 50.1 and 50.2 of a jaw part 6.2 engage. Thesearms 50.1 and 50.2 are parts of a stepped recess 51 which is formed froma corresponding extension 15.2. In this way, a detent arm 52 is thendeveloped also on the end of the extension 15.2. This detent arm 52snaps into the region between the edge 46 and the nose extension 21.2and engages behind the edge 16. At the same time, the jaw part 6.2 isguided with the arms 50.1 and 50.2 in the grooves 49.1 and 49.2 of theguide arm 23, so that, in this way, the jaw part 6.2 is held fast on thereceiver 8.2 The advantage of this embodiment of the connection betweenjaw part 6.2 and the receiver 8.2 is that the jaw part 6.2 can bedetached from the receiver 8.2 only when the detent arm 52 or theextension 15.2 is so bent-off that the detent arm 52 can slide onto therising surface 47. In this case, it is immaterial whether thecorresponding guide arms from adjacent recesses are directed towardseach other or in opposite directions towards the outside.

We claim:
 1. A surgical instrument comprising:a support means including a hollow outer tube and a mounting pin; at least one jaw part detachably fastened to a receiver, said jaw part being movably mounted on the mounting pin by the receiver; a movable element arranged in the outer tube for moving the at least one jaw part about the mounting pin wherein the receiver has an extension which is pivotably connected to the movable element.
 2. A surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the jaw part has an extension with a guide slot which cooperates with a guide arm on a support plate of the receiver.
 3. A surgical instrument according to claim 2, wherein a detent hole is formed in the extension in the region of the slot.
 4. A surgical instrument according to claim 3, wherein a detent element is located on the receiver and is associated with the detent hole.
 5. A surgical instrument according to claim 4, wherein the detent element is the mounting pin which passes through a hole in the receiver.
 6. A surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein a detent hole is formed in the jaw part.
 7. A surgical instrument according to claim 6, wherein a detent element is located on the receiver and is associated with the detent hole.
 8. A surgical instrument according to claim 7, wherein the detent element is the mounting pin which passes through a hole in the receiver.
 9. A surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the receiver is pivotably connected to the movable element by a spreading level.
 10. A surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the jaw part has a hole for the mounting on the mounting pin.
 11. A surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the jaw part is provided with an elastic element which, in the position of use, engages behind at least a portion of the receiver.
 12. A surgical instrument according to claim 11, wherein the jaw part has an extension from which an elastic tongue having a detent nose is formed via a slot.
 13. A surgical instrument according to claim 12, wherein the elastic tongue is connected by a tapered neck with the extension.
 14. A surgical instrument according to claim 12, wherein the elastic tongue is connected by a tapered neck with the jaw part.
 15. A surgical instrument according to claim 11, wherein a transverse slot in the receiver which forms the portion of the receiver is associated with the detent nose.
 16. A surgical instrument according to claim 15, wherein a longitudinal slot adjoins the transverse slot.
 17. A surgical instrument according to claim 12, wherein the jaw part has an extension with a stepped recess which cooperates with a guide arm on the receiver.
 18. A surgical instrument according to claim 17, wherein the stepped recess has at least one arm which in position of use is introduced into a groove of the guide arm.
 19. A surgical instrument according to claim 17, wherein the stepped recess is limited by a detent arm which, in position of use, engages behind an edge of the guide arm.
 20. A surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the jaw part is received in a mounting adapter.
 21. A surgical instrument according to claim 20, wherein the mounting adapter has a housing which has a recess in which the jaw part rests snugly.
 22. A surgical instrument according to claim 21, wherein the recess is accessible through a guide channel for the receiver. 